Dark Salvation
by Illumini
Summary: The mink shivered as it stared at Sonic, its eyes pleading him to do something. Once, he may have done something. Gone over to it, broken the chain. But, being a slave does things. It takes away your motivation, until all that is left is an empty shell.
1. Bought

**O hai… So, basically, I decided to do a slave Sonadow.**

Shadow: You sick bastard…

Hey, don't blame me. Blame the people who gave me the idea.

Sonic: Whatever.

…

Say your line.

Sonic: No.

Grr… Fine, I don't own Sonic, Shadow or anyone else, except random animals in this chapter which shall never appear again. And ratings may change. And sorry if you don't like the title, it's meant to be like, you buy slaves... For a price... Yeah...

I've said enough. On with the story!

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"Going once!"

The mink shivered as it stared at Sonic, its eyes almost pleading the hedgehog to do something.

"Going twice!"

A while ago, he may have done something. Gone over to it, broken the bond connecting it to the nearby pole, help to free him, it, and all the other creatures from this place, this zoo.

"Going three times!"

But, being a slave does things to a person. It breaks your spirit, takes away your motivation, your soul, until all that is left is an empty shell of a person. That, and there was a chain around his own neck.

"Sold!"

And with that, the grey bulldog standing behind the oak lecturn brought down his gavel, slamming it against the wooden panelling. The mink twitched violently upon hearing the sound, for it was a sound every slave both anticipated and dreaded. Anticipated, because they could finally escape from this hole, and at least get some sort of home. Dreaded, because, after all, they were slaves. The lowest rung on the social ladder, most did not even see them as real people, but rather a dog you can put your… Well, the least said about that, the better.

The mink looked close to tears as one of the apprentice slavers, a golden-streaked lizard, unfastened it from the pole is was chained to, and quickly tied a length of rope onto the rotting leather collar tied around its neck. Sonic had guessed that the buyer must have been pretty bad for the creature to be reduced to this. All slaves were ordered to keep absolutely still and quiet while being presented to the buyers, lest they feel…

'There it is.' Sonic thought solemnly, as he heard a sharp crack and a yelp of pain as the lizard brought his whip down on the mink's back. The creature gave a choked sob, as the new master walked up and took the rope from the assistant, giving the mink a clip around the ear as it tried to wipe away its tears.

'There, but for the grace of God.' Sonic thought as the mink was led out, still trying to hold back its tears. But the hedgehog's sympathy quickly disappeared, as he heard the words that he had been dreading that whole day.

"The next item we have is a truly unique speciman, this blue hedgehog. Niles?"

"Get up." The slaver behind Sonic growled his order, giving Sonic a sharp jab to the ribs with the coiled up whip. Shaking, Sonic slowly walked up the small flight of stairs that led to the displaying podium. The Stairway to Hell, older slaves called it.

"As you can see," the bulldog continued, waving his hammer in Sonic's direction, "This fine speciman is healthy, fit, and I can assure you, fully broken." As if to prove a point, the bulldog swung his gavel towards Sonic's jaw, pulling at the last minute. Even though it may save him from being purchased, Sonic did not react to the fake out. It would not be worth the stocks that followed, he knew very well.

"So, do we have any buyers for this wonderful speciman? Bidding shall begin at 500 gold coins."

"520!"

"550!"

"610!"

Prices were cried out around the room, slowly growing higher and higher. Sonic didn't know if he should be impressed by his ability to draw these massive amounts of cash, but then it did not really matter. It was his time again. Like it or not, he was going to be bought today.

"1015!" A white-furred cat in the 4th row shouted, standing up in her place. The whole room went quiet, and Sonic gulped. He did not like the look of her, not a single bit. It was in the eyes, a cruel, sadistic glint that sent cold chills down Sonic's back.

"Do I have any advances on 1015 gold coins?" The auctioneer asked, staring around the crowded room.

_Please, please, anyone._

"No? Well then: Going once!"

Sonic began to tremble a bit more now, as he and the albino cat's eyes met.

"Going twice!"

As Sonic and the cat both stared at each other, a twisted, manical smirk began to spread across the creature's face. The expression said more than any words could. _Oh, am I gonna have fun with you…_

"Going three times!"

"1500 gold pieces."

Sonic quickly whipped his head around trying to find out who had just made the offer.

"I beg you pardon, sir?" The bulldog said, lowering his raised gavel.

"I said, 1500 gold coins for the blue hedgehog." The speaker was a creature at the back of the room, obviously a latecomer. It was a hedgehog, much like Sonic himself, except his fur was coloured a deep black, almost like midnight. He had several crimson streaks lining his quills, four of which were flicked upwards at the end. On his body, he wore a black and red tunic, with what appeared to be a fur lining on the chestpiece. Sonic widened his eyes a little when he realised that the fur was actually attached to the hedgehog, and not the coat.

"Do we have any advances on 1500, then?" The bulldog said.

Silence.

And with that, the grey canine brought his gavel down, striking it against the lecturn, sealing the deal. Sonic kept his eyes on the black hedgehog, who was presently making his way over to the front of the room. The blue hedgehog let out a gag as the apprentice slaver quickly pulled on the chain, pulling the collar tighter around his throat.

"Come on." The slaver said gruffly as he led Sonic over to the side of the room. Unfortunately, there was a loose nail sticking out of the old wooden floor, right in his path. Sonic's eyes widened and he let out a pained cry as the metal pierced his foot, blood spilling out onto the floor.

"You piece of filth!" The slaver exclaimed, delivering a quick punch to Sonic's gut. "I should…"

"You should allow the owner to take care of his own property." A voice said, the apprentice whipped around, revealing the black hedgehog. He looked down at the slaver. "Don't you have a job to do?"

The apprentice simply gave Shadow a dirty look, before stalking off back to his post, leaving a trembling Sonic lying on the floor, clutching at his foot.

"Are you OK, lad?" Shadow asked, as he squatted on his toes beside Sonic.

"Yes, sir, I'm fine…" Sonic stuttered, his eyes not making contact with Shadow's.

"No, you're not, give me a look at your foot." The black hedgehog moved Sonic's hand away from his foot, and stared at the wound. "Ooh…" He inhaled sharply. "That's a nasty cut. I'll have someone look at it once we get home."  
He grabbed Sonic's paw, and helped him to his feet.

"Thank you, master…" Sonic whimpered, confused by the compassion the hedgehog was showing. Typically, most owners would not worry about their slave's health, only helping them if they were feeling particularly nice. After all, it was much cheaper to get a new slave than to pay for an operation.

"Hey, don't worry about it." He said, placing a hand under Sonic's chin and tilting his head so their eyes met. "What is your name, by the way?"

"Sonic…" He murmured, looking away. "My name is Sonic, master…"

"Interesting name…" Shadow remarked, taking the length of rope in his hand. "I am Shadow, Lord of Gathsby. But you can just call me Shadow, if you'd like."

"OK, master…" Sonic said as 'Shadow' led him out of the room and towards a waiting carriage. He got in, staring nervously out the window as he and Shadow took off into the forest.

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**Shadow: Hmm… You know, I'm really starting to like this slave idea…**

Sonic: Oh God… Help?

Can't. He owns you.

Shadow: Heh heh… Come here, slave.

Sonic: Yes, master…

Well, this is gonna get interesting. While your waiting for what happens next, why not leave a review? They are free and have not 1, not 2, but 9 different blade attachments, including a can opener!


	2. Road Trip

**Alright, here's the new chapter. I hope it's up to scratch…**

Sonic: I think you've lost some of the style that the first chapter had.

Maybe. But, this is just how I wanted to present this chapter, so I guess it stays.

Shadow: Whatever. Illumini doesn't own us.

On with the story!

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A pothole in the country road sent the carriage flying up into the air for a second, causing the blue hedgehog to awaken with a start. He looked to his side, or at least attempted to, when he tried to turn his head to look around he found himself pushing it into a patch of soft fur. Blinking, he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dusk lighting. He realized that he was pressing his head into the bicep of his new master, and instinctively, sat bolt upright, wide eyes staring at the black hedgehog. He calmed slightly as he saw that his master was still napping, though his jaw now had a frown set upon it, and he was squirming a little, as if searching for something.

_I don't know what he wants_, Sonic thought to himself, pressing his lips together, _but he wasn't like that before._

Anxiously, Sonic scooted back over towards Shadow, nuzzling gently back into his arm. Almost instantly, the frown on his master's face twisted itself into a gentle smile, and his left arm slid along Sonic's back, slowly making its way up to his arm.

_Besides, Sonic thought, nuzzling in a bit more, he's so warm…_

Sonic's eyes slid open again, and a frown formed on his muzzle. A cheerful thought? He couldn't remember the last time he'd had one of those. For years now, his life had just been one long nightmare. Being bought and sold, raped and abandoned, captured and trained… It was all just a vicious circle that had no finish, no light at the end of the tunnel.

At first, he had refused to submit, refused to allow himself to be so degraded. It was a foolish concept, after all. Him, a slave? The whole idea was preposterous. But the slavers had been quite… Persuasive. If a slave didn't quite grasp what was being asked of them, then the whip tended to help them along with it. Likewise, if a slave flat-out refused to obey their masters, then a few days in The Hole usually showed them the error of their ways.

And, at some point – He could no longer remember when – He had just given up. Perhaps it really was better to just do what his owner demanded of him, rather than be punished and forced to do it anyway. Perhaps it really was better to unquestionably obey his master. And perhaps, above all else, he really was just a slave, a pleasure toy, an object that was no higher than the ground his master walked on.

But this black hedgehog… There was something different about him.

A loud yawn awoke the blue hedgehog from his daydream. He looked to his side; his master had woken up, a groan escaping from him as he scratched at the plume of white fur that sat on his chest.

"Uh…" He moaned tiredly, bleary eyes staring at the slave. "Good evening, my pet… Did you sleep well?"

Sonic continued to stare at him for a second, before he realised that he had been asked a question. He quickly nodded his head. "Yes, master, I did…"

"That's good… There really isn't much else to do in this thing, I apologise." The black hedgehog continued.

"Oh, no… It's fine, master… I'm just happy to be able to serve you…" A massive lie. In his entire history of being a slave, he had never enjoyed serving his master. Why would he? All his masters had beaten, demeaned and raped him, and he had been expected to take it on the chin, all the while giving thanks and singing the praises of his master. He despised his position. But non-compliance would always result in the whip, so he had no choice.

Shadow chuckled lightly. "How can you say that? I've not requested that you do anything yet."

Sonic bowed his head, staring at the white leather that lined the coaches seats. "Well, feel free to, master… I am yours now, after all…" He said, trying his best to sound seductive, but was unable to keep the sorrow out of his voice. He hated being used by his master, from both a physical and sexual point of view.

"Well, I don't think now's the best time for that…" Shadow chuckled slightly again, beginning to run his hand along the slave's head and down his back. "Besides, I've only just met you… I'd much prefer you adjust before we get into anything like that."

"Mmm… Yes master…" Sonic murmured, a faint purr emerging at the caress. The azure tilted his head back, letting out a little yawn. Gradually, his eyes slid shut and his breathing shallowed as he resumed his slumber, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Yes, that's it… Sleep…" The black one whispered to the snoozing slave. Slowly, he slid the blue one's resting body off from his arm, and laid him down on the seat, sliding a cushion under his head. "We'll be there soon…"

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It was completely dark by the time that the carriage arrived back at the Lord's manor. Shadow jerked his head up, staring around the vibrant gardens that surrounded his home. Satisfied that everything was as it was when he had left, he returned his gaze back to the azure hedgehog sleeping on the seat opposite him. He couldn't deny it, he was certainly an interesting specimen. As was typical of most nobles, Shadow had owned many slaves throughout his rule, and as was typical of most slaves, many of them had escaped his care, one way or another. Some had sneaked away, some had joined pacts, there had even been one or two who had been so desperate to escape their life of slavery, that they had taken it. But all of his slaves had something in common – They were exactly that, slaves. No matter what their colour, gender or species, they had been nothing more than Shadow's plaything, an object existing solely for his pleasure.

But this blue one… There was something different about him. Maybe it was the pure blue pelt, that was unlike any he had ever seen, maybe it was the slim, athletic body, maybe it was simply the sheer fact that he was so submissive, so willing to serve… It was a feeling that Shadow had never experienced with his pets. And it scared him.

Looking around once again, Shadow noticed that they were fast approaching the manor itself. Leaning over, he stared at the peaceful form of the blue creature for a few seconds, before reaching in and gently shaking him. "_Sonic_…"

The blue one's eyes slowly flickered open, revealing his emerald irises. He stared at Shadow for a few moments, before slowly sitting up, rubbing one of his eyes with his paw.

"We're here." Shadow announced in a whisper, smiling at his pet.

Sonic gazed out the window, his jaw hanging open a little. This place certainly had a bit more class than his previous few owners. Trees, shrubs and bushes, as far as the eyes could see, all in abundance of natural beauty. As the carriage continued up the stone path, the house itself slowly came into view. Like the garden, it was simply magnificent – Like something out of a picture.

The carriage finally came to a halt outside of the manor, a servant walking down from the small set of stairs and opening the door.

"Welcome back, my Lord." The white hedgehog said, helping Shadow out of the carriage. He looked back inside, noticing the blue hedgehog that was now staring blankly at him. The servant turned to Shadow. "I see you _did_ acquire a new pet."

"Yes, I did, Silver." Shadow glanced back at Sonic, motioning for him to get out of the carriage as well. "Quite a lovely creature, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is…" Silver glared at Sonic with a look of scorn. "May I ask what his name is?"

"Of course. Silver, this is Sonic. Sonic, this is Silver, my butler." Sonic smiled at the white hedgehog, holding out his hand. Silver simply looked away, snorting.

"You two had better get inside, then." Silver continued, staring up at the sky. "It looks like it'll rain soon, and I'm sure you're very tired after your journey."

"I guess I could do with a bit of sleep." Shadow admitted, starting up the stairway to the house. "Come, Sonic!"

"Y-yes, sir." Sonic stammered, beginning to run after the Lord. He let out a small squeak as Silver grabbed the collar of his ragged shirt, pulling him back.

"Listen, you little squirt." Silver hissed, a bit of spit flying from his mouth. "I've dealt with enough slaves to recognise trouble when I see it. So you better watch your step, 'K?"

"I-I'm not trying to do anything…" Sonic gasped, wriggling in the albino's grasp. "I just want to serve my master, and make him happy…"

"Whatever…" Silver scoffed, releasing Sonic from his grip. "Just remember: I've got my eye on you…"

Sonic simply nodded, before running up the stairs after Shadow. Silver watched as the carriage disappeared back down the stone road, looking up to the sky as the heavens began to open. "I don't care who you are, hedgehog…" He growled to himself, the first few drops of rain beginning to fall. "But Shadow WILL be mine."

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**Heh, looks like Silver'll be causing a bit of trouble in the future…**

Silver: Why's that?  
Oh, no reason…

Shadow: Hey, it's Silver…

Sonic: Yeah… Hey Silver…

Silver: Oh God… Help!

No. Anyway, please review!


	3. Dreams of Darkness

**A'ight… Here's the new chapter… It's mostly filler, this one, so don't expect anything amazing.**

**By the way, and I may have said this before, I've got a FAR more updated version of this story on … You should go there, it's awshum.**

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It was nightfall as Sonic lay in bed, staring out the doorway that connected to the balcony. The eve was warm, and the bed suited it, with nothing more than a thin white sheet covering the large mattress. Sonic himself was wearing nothing more than a pair of pants the Lord had loaned him for the night, which were unfortunately several sizes too large for the blue hedgehog, a fact Shadow had noticed when Sonic had adorned them. The Lord had promised him that he would have some new, more suitable clothes fetched for him in the morning, as well as other formalities.

Try as he might, Sonic could not get to sleep. As well as having slept on the journey to the manor, it was a new home, and Sonic always had trouble adjusting to the new environment. Besides, his training told him that it was impolite to go to sleep before your master had joined you in bed. Although, Shadow was not far away, just in the next room. Judging from the water flow, Sonic had guessed that the Lord was just getting cleaned up, and so here he was, staring out the window, studying the vast fields that stretched across to the horizon. Some were bountiful, with colours like purple, red and green, while others were simply an unhealthy shade of brown. The village near the manor was still heavily illuminated, with Sonic being able to make out the occasional person around. The town was not small, either – The buildings stretched out quite far from the square, and the occasional church spire poked up through the dense clusters of houses.

Sonic squirmed slightly as he felt the mattress sink slightly, and frowned as a pair of arms found their way around his chest, softly caressing it. Shadow nuzzled into Sonic's spines, growling deeply as he licked and nipped the quills.

"M-master…" Sonic stuttered, feeling increasingly anxious.

"Shut up." Shadow growled, as he slowly crawled onto Sonic.

"Wh-what are you…" Sonic tried to say it, but was cut off as Shadow's lips claimed his in a hard kiss.

"I'm making use of my investment." Shadow smirked, his hand lowering to Sonic's loose pants.

The slave's eyes went wide. "N-no… Please…" He gasped, squirming as the horrible truth of the situation hit him. Shadow had betrayed him into trusting him, making him believe that he was a kind person. But underneath, Shadow was just like all his other masters: Ruthless, selfish and only caring about their personal pleasure.

"No! P-please stop!" Sonic begged, as he was roughly flipped onto his stomach by Shadow, his body now completely exposed.

"That's right… Beg." Shadow taunted cruelly, chuckling. "It only makes it so much better for me…"

Sonic squirmed and shouted in Shadow's grasp as the hedgehog continued to torture him, touching him in his intimate places. Sonic let out a scared gasp as Shadow's hands left his lower half, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

The blue hedgehog's eyes went wide, and his mouth hung agape as Shadow quickly pushed into him. Sonic felt his rear become stretched far too quickly, and his heart began to beat quickly. And then… The feeling registered.

Sonic let out a pained scream as the wave of pain hit him like a truck. It was a dull, aching yet almost unbearable pain that started in his hips and spread throughout his whole body, like throwing a rock into a pond. He let out another howl as tears began to well up in his eyes, struggling desperately in Shadow's claw-like grip.

"Please! No more!" He sobbed, a small amount of blood trickling out of his entrance and running down onto the bed, staining the white sheets.

"Heh heh! Take it!" Shadow growled as he increased the pace of his thrusting, driving even deeper into the slave. He brought his hand up and slammed it down into the back of his toy's head as he tried to bite at one of his paws, earning another pained cry from the being underneath him.

"P-please…" Sonic wailed as he was continually abused and mocked, more pain beginning to emanate from the spot where Shadow struck him. He was being raped, and he was absolutely powerless to stop it, and fact which only made him cry more. This was the type of treatment that had broken him down, made him into a slave. He constantly told himself that if he complied then maybe his master would go gentle on him, but every time it happened he could only cry and beg for freedom.

Maybe he wasn't so broken, after all.

Sonic screamed in pain again as he felt Shadow claws begin to dig into his skin, one or two of the talons piercing his skin, causing small drops of blood to erupt from them as well. Sonic went completely limp, his head hitting the pillow, tears continuing to flow from his eyes.

He heard Shadow call his name. "Sonic!" It sounded so far away, almost inaudible. "Sonic!" There it was again. Everything was black now. What was going on? He could still feel Shadow's arms on him. Had he gone blind?

"SONIC!"

"Argh!" Sonic screamed as he sat bolt upright in bed, his fur drenched with cold sweat. Where was he? What had just happened?

"Sonic?"

The slave instantly turned his head to the source of the noise. He gulped when he saw who it was. Beside him, Shadow was kneeling on the thick bedspread, a concerned frown on his muzzle as he rubbed Sonic's back. Instantly, Sonic through Shadow's hand off him and half-crawled, half-rolled down to the end of the bed, a look of pure terror in his eyes as he gazed at Shadow.

"Sonic? Are you… Are you alright?" The Lord asked, slowly crawling down to Sonic, prompting a whimper from the hedgehog. Shadow frowned. Shadow had been lying awake, when the hedgehog had suddenly started shivering, and crying in his sleep. Trying to shake him awake had only made it worse.

"Please… No… Don't…" Sonic murmured as he began to tremble violently, his eyes becoming unfocused.

"Don't? Don't what?" Shadow asked, holding a hand out to Sonic. The blue slave simply pushed himself further up against the foot of the bed.

"Sonic? What's wrong?"

"Rape…" Sonic breathed, a few tears beginning to slip from his eyes.

"What? Speak up…" Shadow encouraged, trying to sound as gentle as possible.

"You… Rape…" That was all Sonic could produce before he simply started sobbing, curling up as the tears fell heavy.

"I… Raped you?" Shadow exclaimed, a look of disbelief coming over him, quickly to be replaced with empathy. "Oh, Sonic…" Shadow was by his side in an instant, gently stroking the slave's head as he continued to sob. Shadow did not try and rush him to explain, he simply continued to caress him gently as he whispered comforting words into his ears.

"Shh… Everything's fine… It was just a dream… It's over, now…" He knew that Sonic needed this. If he tried to rush him, he'd appear pushy, and he didn't want Sonic to doubt him. Sonic continued to sob deeply, wanting to push Shadow away but finding himself completely unable to, instead clinging tighter to the Lord.

Sonic's sobs gradually grew quieter, and eventually Sonic was simply crying silently, wetting the fur on Shadow's legs. Slowly, Shadow raised his head to look at him, his tear-streaked face illuminated by the soft candlelight.  
"Sonic? Are you feeling alright now?"

"Yes…" Sonic murmured sadly, bowing his head in shame. "I'm s-sorry, master, I did not mean to-" He was cut off by Shadow, the ebony's lips meeting his in a soft, gentle kiss.

"No, Sonic, don't be sorry. Nothing is your fault; you can't help whatever dream you had. Speaking of which… Do you want to talk about it?"

Sonic shook his head, continuing to look downwards. "No… I'm afraid not…"

Shadow smiled warmly, though it was a pained smile. "That's fine…" He whispered, slowly helping Sonic back under the covers. "Would you like to sleep by yourself tonight? I don't mind finding alternative arrangements…"

Sonic seemed to consider it for a moment, before shaking his head, clinging onto Shadow tighter. "No… I feel… Safer… With you here…" He murmured, starting to settle down.

Shadow smiled, as if pleased by the way Sonic had answered. "That's fine. Just tell me… If you need anything…" Shadow said, snuggling into the bed as he held Sonic tighter. "Goodnight… Sonic…" He whispered, kissing him softly on the forehead.

"Goodnight… My master…" Sonic said, as he slowly began to fall back to sleep. And as the hours counted down towards morning, Shadow continued to hold Sonic close, never breaking his protective embrace.  
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**Heh, hands up if you thought it was a real rape… Or not. Hopefully the content doesn't exceed the criteria for an M rating, though it doesn't matter too much, after all, it's just filler. Anyway, feel free to leave a review, I'm always looking for input on how I can improve!**


	4. TailsOr

Bottom of Form

**New chapter, guys! Had some fun writing this one, you'll see a bit of a bond forming between Sonic and Shadow… Still no meddling from Silver yet, sorry! But Tails is gonna be in it!**

On a side note, I'm considering abandoning/deleting Turn Back the Clock. It's a nice concept, but I just don't feel that motivated to continue with it. If you care, give your thoughts.

Anyway, I don't own Sonic or Shadow, otherwise I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. And I'm sorry for the absolute shiteness of the title, the pun _**kinda**_** works. A bit. Anyway, on with the show!**

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"Would Sir care for any more food?"

The albino hedgehog stood at the head of the table, hands by his side and head held high, his stance giving off both an air of formality and casualness. While the long table was intended to be used for feasts and banquets, only two people were currently seated at it, Shadow and Sonic. Between them were several smudged, silver trays, some still holding the odd bit of leftover food.

"No, that will be all, thank you…" Shadow replied, leaning back in his chair, napkin in hand, wiping crumbs from his tan muzzle. "You may clear the table when you are ready, Silver."

The butler simply nodded, leaning across the table and picking up the empty trays, expertly balancing them on his hands and arms. He slowly made his way across the dining hall and through a passage hidden in a niche in the wall, which led off to the palace's kitchen.

"So, Sonic…" Shadow began, eyes drifting from the retreating Silver. "How was breakfast?"

"It was very nice, thank you master…" He said, smiling at Shadow. The smile still contained no warmth, though. Even if Shadow seemed nice, Sonic had been owned by people who acted the same before. They would build up a sense of security, and when he was least expecting it, bam, just like the dream. He was beginning to think all the nobility derived some sick pleasure from tormenting their pets.

Shadow returned the smile, a genuinely warm, sincere smile. "Glad you enjoyed it. It's not the best food we've had, but the harvest was rather bad this year, sadly…"

"Oh no, it's fine… It was amazing, compared to some of the things I've had…"

The Lord pressed his lips together. He didn't want Sonic to have to recall any bad memories. That would only breed mistrust, and that was the last thing that he wanted right now. "Anyway," He said, trying to change the subject. "Would you like to go get fitted for your clothing now?"

"I guess so…" Sonic sighed, slowly getting up from his chair. "Where is it?"

"It's just down in the village. They've been tailoring for my family for generations, so don't worry too much. I'm pretty good friend's with the owner."

"Alright…" Sonic said, feeling a little reassured as he raised his head. "Let's go…"

Shadow strolled through the crowded marketplace. The square was a sea of noise and colour, every sound, aroma and sight revealing a little more about the market. Knowing this, one could infer that the bazaar was a very difficult place to navigate, which would be true for a commoner, but as Shadow made his way through, the crowd seemed to separate in his path, the people looking on in fear and awe as the black hedgehog made his way through, closely followed by his slave. It was not as though he had much choice though; Shadow had insisted that he wear a leash and collar before they had left. Sonic had found the concept ridiculous and faintly insulting at first, but a few minutes after entering the village, Sonic was beginning to see why Shadow had wanted him to wear it, even without the people the place was a maze. Besides, Sonic found the collar strangely comfortable compared to the shoddy rope loops he was used to. Both it and the leash were made of smooth leather that almost caressed his skin, rather than chafe it. Shadow never attempted to drag him by it, or rush him, either. Sonic supposed he should respect Shadow for that.

"This is it." Shadow said rather suddenly, stopping outside a building. The small store was almost identical to the others that flanked its sides, save for a small sign hanging above the street marked with the word 'Tailor'. Sonic simply nodded slightly in response, looking around the store front. He jumped slightly as Shadow pushed the wooden door open, the loud ringing of the small bell startling him. A fox standing at the counter looked up as the couple entered. "Oh, hello, Lord Shadow." The yellow vulpine said cheerfully.

"Good morning, Miles!" The Lord replied, walking up to the desk. "How's everything going here?"

"Business as usual…" The fox said simply, his eyes moving to stare at Sonic. "I see you have bought a new pet."

"Yes, I have. His name's Sonic, by the way." Shadow explained, gently stroking Sonic's quills as he did.

Miles smiled gently at Sonic, reaching out to shake his hand. "Nice to meet you, Sonic. I'm Miles, Miles Prower."

"Hello…" Sonic murmured, tentatively reaching out his hand and gripping the fox's.

The tailor turned back to Shadow. "I take it you want me to measure him up?"

"Yes, if you would. I have to step out to get a few things, I trust you can take care of everything?"

"Of course, my Lord."

"Excellent." Shadow turned to Sonic and gently kissed him on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, you'll be OK here with Miles. I promise."

"OK, master…" Sonic said, trying his best to sound convincing. Even if he didn't completely trust the hedgehog, he at least knew that for now, he wanted to keep him safe. With this fox, anything could happen.

Oblivious to the conflict in Sonic's mind, Shadow simply grinned, passing the handle of the leash to Sonic before sliding back out the door.

"Well, Sonic, this way pleased." The kitsune smiled as he lifted up a part of the counter, creating a small walkway. The blue hedgehog followed him out into a back room, which contained a mirror, a loom, and a few other devices and items that Sonic had never seen or recognised.

"Stand on here, please." Miles requested, gesturing to a small pedestal in front of the looking glass. Sonic nervously poked the platform with his foot, slowly climbing onto it.

"So, Sonic…" Miles began, as he grabbed a few items out of a box. "How are you?"

"I'm fine…" Sonic replied. Silence, for a few seconds. "H-how are you?" He said nervously.

Miles simply chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "Pardon me for the awkwardness, I usually get a little nervous when dealing with the Lord… He's a nice man, but he's still got that feared stigma, you know? Being a Lord and all…"

"He seems nice…" Sonic murmured, staring at the floor. "Do you and him get on well?"

"Yes, I've known him since I was a child. We're pretty good friends, he helps fund the business, and I usually get a high seat at the annual feast."

"Oh…" Sonic grunted, a squeal escaping his muzzle as he felt the cold measuring tape against his side. "Uh, sir…"

"Please, call me Miles!" The yellow kitsune grinned.

"Uh, Miles…" The slave began, raising his head as the tape measure was pushed under his chin. "H-have there been any… Before me?"

"What, slaves?"

The hedgehog nodded meekly.

"Of course, Shadow is a Lord, after all. It's traditional for the nobility to own pets."

"Oh… What happened to them?"

"Most escaped…" Miles explained, carefully wrapping the tape measure around Sonic's neck. "A few died in his care, though… Not by his hand, fortunately."

"Did he treat them well?"

"In fact, yes, he did. He's a very odd person, sometimes…"

Sonic mentally sighed in relief, tensing up as Miles wrapped the measure around his hips. At least he knew he would be somewhat safe with Shadow.

"Hmm… 63…" The kitsune murmured, staring at the tape. "May I say, you have a nice figure, Sonic."

"Oh… Thank you…" Sonic mumbled, a faint blush forming. He wasn't used to compliments from strangers, or compliments at all.

"Anyway…" Miles began, as he entered the measurements into a small book. "I've got all that I need, so all that's left is to pick the colours, and we should wait for Shadow to return before we do that…" Almost on cue, the small bell rang in the storefront. "Ah, wait here…" The fox said, making his way out the front.

Sonic took the moment of peace to look around the room. Unlike the storefront, this room was quite untidy, with cloth, thread and other paraphernalia strewn around. Quite a number of mannequins populated the room as well, all covered with a range of vibrant clothing. The hedgehog's eyes fell upon a green and white tunic, he liked it a lot. The two colours were gentle, yet eye-catching together. What would it look like on him…

A kiss on the cheek brought him back to reality. "I'm back." Shadow said, holding up a small bag. "And I've got you a surprise."

"Alright, Shadow, we just need you to select a colour for the outfit…" Miles explained, walking over to the loom. "Which ones would you like?"

Shadow stared at the many spools of thread. Which to choose, which to choose... He looked back up at his slave. Which colours would best display his beauty to the world? Following the pet's gaze, his eyes also fell upon the green and white shirt.

"Hmm… You know…" Shadow began, a small smile emerging on his jaw. "I think something just like that piece would be great."

"Ah, I agree." Miles said, running his hand along the tunic. "I should have this done in a few days," He explained as he walked over to the loom. "I'll have someone send in up to your manor when it's finished."

"That'd be excellent, thank you Miles." The Lord pulled a small bag of coins from his belt and threw it to the kitsune. "I think that should cover the payment. Have a nice day, Miles!" Shadow led Sonic out of the workroom, back into the store. "Now, Sonic, I got you something while I was out. I hope you like it…" Slowly, he opened the bag, and pulled it out.

Sonic's eyes widened as he saw it. In the Lord's hand was a black leather collar, studded with green emeralds. He gently raised his hand to touch it, running the paw over the smooth gem. "It's lovely, master…"

Shadow smiled softly. "I'm glad you like it… It wasn't cheap, to be honest. But I think you're worth it…" Slowly, he removed the old collar from Sonic and replaced it with the black one, fastening it around his neck. "Beautiful…" He declared, running a hand through Sonic's quills.

"M-master…" Sonic murmured, a little shocked by Shadow's kindness. Why was Shadow acting this way to him? What did he have to gain? He was a little frightened by it, but he didn't question him. It was not his place to.

Shadow clipped the black leather leash onto the collar, tugging on it gently. "Ready to go home?"

Sonic looked up at Shadow, a faint smile on his jaw. "Yes… My Lord…"  
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**As always, thanks for reading, don't forget to give a review, and don't forget to give your thoughts on abandoning TBtC!**


	5. Connections

**Alright, here's the new chapter! Sorry for not updating for a while, I guess copy-pasting my own stories is just too much effort to go through. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, there's not gonna be much action…**

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Sonic wandered down the cold corridors of the manor, his coat pulled tight around his body. While the heavy jacket did keep most of the cold out, he still shivered, trying to keep out the icy chill that almost seemed to penetrate into your soul.

Winter had come around again, and was unusually bitter; crops had failed, livestock was dying and to top it all off, the village was heavily snowed in. While people were surviving, things were becoming increasingly subsistent, with many people beginning to ration out food. Although stockpiles were still high, it was just a few weeks into the season, with the worst of the weather yet to come.  
Nobody wanted to take any chances.

That was why he wandered. Shadow was speaking with people about the situation, and judging from his initial reaction to hearing that they would be coming, Sonic guessed that he would not be in the mood for interruption. All the other servants were out carrying out their jobs, not that it would have mattered; nearly all had been assigned to help clear the snow and repair any snow damage. As for Silver… He never enjoyed being around him. Every time they had met, Silver seemed to have aimed to make Sonic's life as difficult as possible for some reason. He tried to avoid him, but obviously there were occasions which called for them to be near each other. At least now, Silver was in the meeting with Shadow, if only to serve the guests tea.

Sonic stared at the walls, studying the various objects that adorned them. Most eye-catching were the series of portraits, all depicting hedgehogs very similar in appearance to Shadow. "This must be Shadow's family…" He mused to himself, stopping to stare at the paintings. They went back generations, to the point where the people depicted barely resembled Shadow. The hedgehogs in the younger generations bore markings on their quills and arms much like Shadow's, some more twisting and extravagant than Shadow's.

Sonic walked down the hall a bit, until he reached Shadow's portrait. Sonic ran his hand over it, studying it closely. The Shadow in the portrait was certainly different Shadow than the one he knew. Opposed to Shadow's kind, gentle demeanour, the portrait portrayed an authoritive, domineering individual, a harsher person than Shadow seemed. Even though the entire line of nobility seemed to boast these characteristics, there was just something about Shadow showing it that seemed off…

But then there were the eyes. Those deep red eyes of Shadow, something in them caught Sonic's attention. The painting was heavily detailed, painstakingly almost, displaying every feature and flaw of Shadow's body. Sonic stared deep into the painted eyes, trying to decipher the exact emotion in them. A thought occurring to him, he immediately jumped to the side, to the portrait of Shadow's father. Lucien, the brass plate below the picture read. The hedgehog was very similar to Shadow, in both appearance and stance. But that was not what he was looking for…

Craning his neck up, Sonic looked into the eyes of the hedgehog. Like Shadow's, this portrait was also incredibly detailed, showing off every piece of the Lord's complexion. But unlike Shadow's were the eyes. They were the complete opposite of Shadow's. As he looked into the crimson orbs, he could only see one thing: Wrath. In spite of his civilized, sophisticated clothes and posture, the eyes showed an emotion that Sonic had only seen once before in his life.

He had only been a child at the time. It was back when he had not been a slave, a time which he did not have much memory of. He had come from a merchant family; his father owned and worked in a tavern. While the business was quite profitable, the exposure had led his father to alcoholism. At first, it had been mild, with him just sneaking the occasional drink while on the job, but the addiction quickly took a hold of him, with his father often coming home bloodied and bruised, and sometimes with the town guards. And then, on one autumn night, the addiction peaked.

Sonic had been sitting in his room reading when he heard the front door swing open. Judging from the heavy footsteps and shouting, his father had come home, drunk again. Usually, he didn't get far – Wandering through the house for a bit before collapsing in a drunken sleep. It was definitely not a good routine, but it kept him from destroying the house, which he had sometimes done.

That was when he heard his mother. Because of his father's addiction, Aleena was the only person Sonic found comfort in. She was a lovely woman, kind and loving, the way a mother should be. Sonic listened as she began to shout, most of her words garbled, but patching together the bits he could hear, she seemed to be talking about his father's alcoholism.

Sonic got up and walked over to his door, sliding it open a crack. He could hear the two much better now, his mother was pleading with his father to stop drinking, and judging from his raving, none of it was getting through. Aleena still continued, trying to reason with him, begging him to stop for the family.

And then the screaming started.

It had taken the young Sonic a few moments to realize where the sound was coming from, and then he heard the faint whacks that accompanied the screams. He began to shiver in fear; it was quite plain that his mother was being beaten. Sonic was scared, he didn't know what to do, he wanted to help his mother, but he didn't know how to do it. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he heard his mother beginning to sob, begging his father to stop. A loud crash came from downstairs, and then…

Silence.

Anxiously, Sonic pushed the door open and stepped out, slowly making his way down the stairs. He tiptoed down and looked around, his eyes going wide at the scene in front of him. Lying on the ground was his mother, blood pooling around her head. It was quite obvious she was hurt badly, and needed help. Immediately, Sonic jumped off the stairs and ran to his mother's side, shaking her roughly.

"Mom! Mom! Are you OK!" He shouted, rolling the hedgehog onto her back. He gasped and winced as he saw her face. Her nose was bleeding heavily, bent sideways at an odd angle. Her jaw hung unevenly, quite obviously having been broken. There were cuts and bruises all across her face, her purple fur hiding the blood slightly.

Quickly, Sonic lowered his hands to her chest, feeling around for a heartbeat, a gentle rise, anything… But it was hopeless. Her pulse was gone, she wasn't breathing. Tears began to fall from Sonic's eyes as he realized that his mother was dead. "Mom…"

"Mom is gone." A growl behind him said. "And she's not coming back anytime soon."

Sonic whipped around to stare at his father. Sonic whimpered as he looked at him. His fists were bloody, his clothes were torn in places from the struggle, but the worst part was his eyes… They did not even seem human anymore, filled with an almost animalistic rage, a look of wrath and anger…

And from that day on, Sonic's life had been a living hell.

His breaths came in gasps as he stepped away from the painting. He knew now. He knew why Shadow was so kind when all his previous masters had been so cruel. He knew why Shadow always made an effort to look after him. He knew why Shadow was just so different from everyone else he had met in his life, Shadow was just like him. His eyes had said it all. Behind his powerful, proud mask was a hurt and mistreated individual. Someone who had dealt with pain all his life, and was trying to repent for things he had been forced into thinking he had done. The only difference was their social class.

Sonic began to move down the hall, running to the meeting hall. He had to see Shadow as soon as possible, right after he was done with the meeting.

Somehow, in this relationship of slave and master, Sonic had found a connection to Shadow.

**Shadow: Wait, what about the months between the chapters? Surely me and Sonic's relationship would hav-**

Quiet! That's for the readers to hopefully not realize! Anyway, thanks for reading and please, leave a review if you liked the chapter! And even if you didn't… Write one anyway!


	6. Comfort

**Hello again. Yes, I know I haven't updated in AGES. I apologize. I didn't really have a problem with writing, I'm just a lazy fuck with the work ethic for a tranquilized sloth and haven't been bothered to update. I do apologize, things got in the way – Writer's Block, lack of motivation, and the third season of Dexter – Especially that last one. And I swear, I'll update Infection next, and Turn Back the Clock next time the stars are right again and Cthulu rises from his ancient tomb. Or maybe Zalgo. One of them.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy…**

A small pile of slush lay in the wet grass, melting in the midday sun. The clump of snow, some of the last that would be seen for a while, sweltered in the heat, slowly turning back to water and spreading throughout the green turf. This process was a long and boring one, something that would take place over several hours, as the light from the sun heated the snow and turned it back to a liquid. That is, if a red and black had not decided to descend on the heap of frost, flattening it into a mushy paste.

Spring had come again, the long winter having finally passed. The first signs of life were beginning to emerge, flowers budding, ready to bloom, small animals creeping out of their burrows, their long hibernations over, and Lord Shadow had finally emerged from his castle, his slave closely following him. Sonic shivered lightly in the cool morning air, pulling his coat tighter to his body. The black hedgehog saw this, and quickly broke step to allow the other to catch up, before reaching down and scooping him up into his arms. He held the blue one's body close to his, sharing his warmth.

There isn't much to do while you're snowed in, save for work out food rationing schedules or re-enacting The Shining. As such, the two hedgehogs had grown closer together in this time, by a scary amount. Since learning of Sonic's revelation, not to mention his past, Shadow had felt a great deal more *Licks* compassion towards the blue one – Maybe it was pity, maybe it was the fact they had shared experiences, he didn't know, nor did he care much. It was a rather trivial thing, anyway – Knowing why he felt this way would not change the fact that he did, nor would he let it – When he had bought this hedgehog, he had accepted the responsibilities that came with it, and he would not abandon them for some petty, adolescent urge.

"We're here…" He whispered to the one in his arms, gently setting him back on his feet. The two stared out across the beautiful landscape beyond the lake. The water was a crystal blue, still icy from the previous winter. A few of the birds had returned, however, already making their trees in the oaks and pines that lined the shore. In the distance, mountains rose up into the distance, their peaks far on the horizon.

"Shadow?" Sonic spoke softly, "What's beyond those mountains?"

The ebony one chuckled to himself, placing a hand on Sonic's back. "You know… I'm not too sure." He said, looking off into the horizon. "I've never been beyond this province, aside from the royal palace… I must look into it sometime."

Sonic smiled gently, turning his head to gaze around the nearby countryside. "It's beautiful…"

Shadow looked down at him, beginning to gently stroke his quills. "I thought you'd like it… That's why I brought you here…" He walked over to a nearby bench, motioning for Sonic to join him.

"Master… Can I ask you a question?" Sonic asked, sitting down on the seat.

"Of course, my slave…"

"Why… Do you do all this for me?" Sonic inquired curiously, "I mean… I'm just your slave… Yet you treat me like… Well, someone you'd treat well! Why do you do it?"

Shadow sighed sadly, scooting over to wrap an arm around the blue one. "Because, Sonic… You've must've gone through so much, in your life… I mean, you're *Licks* sixteen years old, and you've already had your virginity taken from you…" He looked to him, raising a hand to stroke his cheek. "Others may have been conditioned to think that you're worthless… Including you… But you're not."

Sonic stared down at the ground, trying to repress his misery. "But I am… I'm just a slave… Worse than that, a sex slave… My only purpose in life is to give people pleasure… That's all I can do…"

Biting his lip, Shadow desperately tried to think of a way to comfort the blue one. "You're wrong… You're so much more than that… You're a companion, a supporter, a friend…"

Sonic looked back up at him, tears beginning to form in his dull, green eyes. "Sh-Shadow… Why does it hurt so much… To think about it…"

The ebony one gave no response, simply pulling Sonic against his chest as he began to cry softly. He made no loud howls or wails of misery, simply sobbing quietly as he clung to Shadow's waist, desperate to be held. Shadow simply waited, slowly rubbing Sonic's back and whispering in his ear, letting him know that what he was doing was OK…

Slowly, Sonic looked up, tears still very clear in his eyes. "I'm sorry, master… I was way out of line…" He was silenced by a black finger on his lips.

"Shh… It's fine…" Shadow comforted, smiling reassuringly. "We all need to cry sometimes…"

"Th-thank you…" Sonic whispered, using his forearm to wipe away the remaining tears.

"Hey… Don't mention it…" Shadow grinned, kissing Sonic on the forehead. "Now how about a swim? There's a nearby hot spring that's really great this time of year."

Not far away, on a nearby hillock, Silver shifted underneath his camouflage, scowling to himself. That blasted hedgehog… He was ruining everything. All his plans. All his aspirations. Everything.

He hadn't been able to hear the previous conversation, and he seriously doubted that he would've wanted to, but that last thing said it all. When Shadow had kissed him… It just boiled Silver's blood. It violated *Licks* every law of the social hierarchy. Lords couldn't even fall in love with commoners, never mind slaves! And a male slave at that! It was just so… Wrong! And for Silver, the fact that it was a slave just made it all the more insulting…

That was when Silver noticed that the pair were heading towards him. He slowly crawled to his left, freezing next to a small bush, hoping his makeshift disguise would hide all of his white fur. He held his breath as that infernal blue one's boot descended just inches from his head, kicking a bit of dirt into his face. Goddamnit…

That was when Silver realized where the two were heading. This particular path eventually led away from the main grounds of the manor, ending in the foot of the mountains.

At the hot springs…

Silver resisted the urge to just jump to his feet and stop them there and then. Every time Shadow had taken a slave to the hot springs, they came back different… Changed… Sometimes for better, and sometimes for worse. Whatever Shadow did to his slaves over at those springs, Silver had to know. Whether it would get him closer to Shadow or not, it didn't matter. He would at least get to see something possibly bad happen to the blue one.

The Lord and his slave were gone now. Slowly getting to his feet, Silver tossed his grass suit to the ground, ignoring the pile of half-melted snow it fell into. He'd have to take the long way if he didn't want to be spotted. And he'd have to be fast. Breaking into a jog, Silver followed the two along the path towards the hot springs.

**Ooh, a cliffhanger. I've NEVER done one of those before, not at all. Anyway, I'd just like to say I'm sorry for not updating in ages, I really felt bad for not doing so. And please leave a review, letting me know if you liked this pointless fluff!**


	7. Hot Hot Springs

OH GOD WHAT I UPDATED. I sincerely apologize for not doing so sooner. I guess that kinda speaks as a testament to my laziness, I can't be bothered to upload a text document twice to two separate places.

Anyway, here's the bit you've all been waiting for… The smex. Hope it's up to scratch for your viewing and masturbatory pleasure.

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The dirt was cold underfoot as the two hedgehogs made their way further into the mountains, the moist earth still soaked with the molten remains of winter snow. Despite the higher elevation of the area compared to the rest of the province, the natural heat of the earth contributed to melting thawing the snow up here, not to mention heating the natural springs that had formed. The two had passed several pools already, easily identifiable by the steam rising off from them, but Shadow had insisted they continue. "Not only are the too small." Shadow had explained as they walked. "But they're also prone to sudden temperature changes… Don't get out fast enough, and you'll be roasted in your skin…" It was slightly disappointing to the blue hedgehog, who unlike Shadow, was shaking and shivering in the cold, despite his heavy coat. But then, it wasn't like he would be missing out… He just had to be patient.

Besides, the idea of being boiled alive had never appealed to Sonic, anyway.

"Master…" Sonic spoke softly, keeping his head bowed. "How much further do we have to…"

"Not very far." Shadow interrupted, looking back to smile warmly at the blue one. "It's just down this hill…" Pausing for a moment, Shadow grabbed hold of a protruding branch, ripping it to the side to clear the path. "After you…"

Sonic quickly scurried through the gap, not wanting to waste any of his or Shadow's time. He stood a few metres from the tree, pulling his coat tighter as Shadow appeared and released the branch, showering Sonic with a bombardment of dew drops.

"Sorry…" Shadow whispered, lowering a hand to pet at the shivering hedgehog's quills, letting his gloved hand absorb some of the residue. A gentle purr began to emerge at the petting, prompting him to continue, despite having already dried it up. Shadow slowly let his paw slide down to meet Sonic's, sliding the pale, slender hand into his dark one, gripping it tightly. Continuing his way through the small woods, Sonic increased his pace to a swift gait in order to keep up with Shadow, moving his feet in an improvised dance to avoid the protruding roots and rocks that littered the dirt path.

After a few minutes, the tree line began to thin significantly, blue sky appearing in gaps between the spring pines. The two hurried out to the clearing, standing on the edge of the cliff that overlooked the small valley.

"There they are…" Shadow stared down the slope as Sonic crept closer to the edge, not as eager to stand near the edge as Shadow was. A deep albeit quiet rumbling echoed up from the valley, a large amount of steam rising as several large springs bubbled madly, the roughness forming a thin white foam on the surface.

"Ooh…" Sonic moaned softly, closing his eyes. "It's so warm…"

The black one winked. "You just wait until you're in them…" He promised, kicking a few loose rocks as he crept closer to the cliff face. "We just need to get down this slope... You wanna take the easy way, or the quick way?"

"It's your choice, master… You just choose the one which is best for you…" Bowing his head humbly, Sonic stared nervously over the cliff, biting his lip at the steep slope. A yelp escaped his mouth as he felt himself moving forwards suddenly, feeling his feet fly over the edge of the cliff. His entire life flashed before his eyes, his childhood, his abusive father, his enslavement…

…Before the pair of black arms that held him quickly jerked him upwards, a grunt escaping Shadow's mouth as he heaved him into his arms. "Heh… You're heavy…" Shadow grinned.

"I'm sorry, master…" Sonic mumbled instinctively, hanging his head in shame.

"Heh… It's alright…" Shadow chuckled, nuzzling his slave's head. "And I'm sorry if you got scared by that… Don't worry, it'll be over quickly…"

"What will-" Sonic began, confused by what Shadow's last sentence had been. He was cut off as Shadow leapt over the edge of the cliff, landing on the slope as he began to slide down. Both hedgehog's had their mouths and eyes shut tightly, Sonic's out of fear, and Shadow's from pain, the rocks scraping and tearing at him through his clothes. The pair clung tight to one another, terrified that if one let go, they'd be separated…

After what seemed like an eternity, Shadow began to slow, approaching a stop as he reached the bottom of the cliff. Slowly lowering Sonic onto the ground, Shadow stood up, brushing shards of rock from his body. "There… That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"At least it's over…" Sonic murmured meekly, still visibly shaking. He stood up on the loose gravel, staring around the gully. Pillars of steam rose up from the springs, a gentle rumbling emanating from below the ground as magma slowly shifted and moved, warming the water. Despite the ripe conditions, there was virtually no fungi or moss covering the rocks, the heavy boulders stained an off-white colour.

Sonic's eye was caught by a movement to his side, his eyes shooting wide as he identified what it was. Shadow tossed his black boots to the side as he began to disrobe, setting himself down on a nearby boulder while he tugged at his socks, throwing them haphazardly towards his boots. Sonic could only watch, a heavy blush forming on his muzzle, as his master began to remove his heavily decorated shirt, the plume of white fur that adorned his chest waving slowly in the air currents. The black one let his thumbs drop into the waist of his trousers, looking up momentarily at Sonic, a dark yet gentle smirk forming on his muzzle. His breaths began to become slow and heavy as he watched Shadow begin to slowly remove his pants and underclothes, his tan member becoming exposed. His bottoms joined the messy pile of clothes which Shadow had already removed, forgotten and neglected a few metres away.

"M-master…" Sonic breathed, staring at Shadow's physique. Shadow simply grinned as he stood up from the rock, clearly not embarrassed by his lack of clothes. Striding behind Sonic, Shadow pressed himself up against his back, letting his hand roam along Sonic's abdominal areas, gently stroking over the emerald green cloth.

"I want to see you now…" Shadow whispered in his ear, biting at the soft flesh. It began to spaz wildly, flickering as Shadow placed his bare foot on the heel of Sonic's boot and pushed firmly, sliding off both his shoes and socks with ease. Sonic began to purr as Shadow nuzzled into his quills, kissing and nibbling the tip of a few, while letting his hand move to the top of Sonic's shirt. He slowly began to unbutton the garment, his fingers combing through the sandy fur underneath it. Sonic's blush increased, and he began to whimper, as he felt the green shirt fall away, landing softly at his feet. There was only one more thing for Shadow to remove now…

Slowly, Shadow let his both of his hands move to take their places on Sonic's hips. "You ready?" He whispered in the blue ear, not even waiting for an answer before he began to remove the pants, maintaining a teasingly slow pace. Sonic shuddered as he felt the warm air hit his member, the humidity causing it to swell and thicken slightly. As he kicked the trousers away, Shadow turned Sonic to face him, gazing up and down the nude hedgehog. "Very… Stunning…" Shadow breathed, placing a hand on his chest and running it downwards, stopping just above his groin. "…May I?"

"Of course, master…" Sonic whispered, his mind in a totally different world, relaxed at the gentle attention he was receiving.

Grinning like a child, Shadow let his hand run down on Sonic's member, taking the pale organ between his fingers and examining it. "Mmm… Not too small, not bad at all…" He commented as he removed his hand from the cock, not wanting to make Sonic uncomfortable in any way. Taking the blue one's hand, he lifted him up into his arms, slowly making his way towards a large spring. "Shall we?" Shadow questioned rhetorically as he stepped into the water, an invisible stairway allowing him a slow descent.

Sonic shuddered as his backside entered the water, gritting his teeth as he willed himself to adjust to the just-too-hot water. Slowly, his body became numb to the pain, his being now filling with a pleasant, warm sensation. Released from Shadow's grip, he shuffled around the spring as he lowered the rest of his body into the water, trying to find a comfortable seat.

"Ah… So good…" Shadow purred as he lay back in the water, wrapping an arm around Sonic as he took a seat next to him. "And the water's not too bad either…" A heavy blush formed on Sonic's face.

"Please, master…" Sonic murmured, snuggling closer to the black one. "I'm not that good…"

"Mmm… Yes, you are…" Shadow mumbled, rubbing his back against the rough wall of the spring to massage it. His arm tightened around Sonic, his mind willing himself to be patient. 'Easy… Don't do anything to make him uncomfortable…'

Sonic let out a squeak as Shadow lifted him up into his lap, shivering slightly as his torso was exposed to the air. He relaxed again as Shadow settled him on his legs, gasping as the black one's member brushed lazily against his rear.

"You know, Sonic…" Shadow began, paw rising to pet and fiddle at the blue ear. "You don't need to be so apprehensive around me…" Gently, he scratched at the base of the ear. "You trust me, don't you? You know I'd never hurt you…"

"I… Guess so, master…" Sonic confessed, resting his head against Shadow's snowy chest. "I suppose it's just… A force of habit… My training told me to be this way…"

"Well, it's OK now… I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't wish to… I'll never beat you for acting a certain way… Even if you are my slave, you still have feelings…"

Sonic gulped, having doubts of whether he should bring up the next topic… "Speaking of that, master… There's something I have to ask you about…"

"What is it, my pet…" Shadow soothed, as he began to preen to damp fur on Sonic's chest.

"I don't know…" Sonic whimpered, tensing up from his nerves. "It's just… Whenever I'm around you now… I just feel weird… It's like I never want to be away from you, I'm scared that if I am, something bad will happen to you. I didn't feel this way when you… Bought me…" Sonic had always hesitated to say those words. "It's just… I don't know why I'm feeling this way, or what I even am feeling… What's happening to me, master?"

"Hmm…" Shadow hummed, a sly grin forming. "Tell me, Sonic… Have you ever felt this way with anyone else? Any of your old masters, the ones who beat and abused you? Does the way you feel make me seem special compared to everyone else? Do you never want this feeling to end?"

Sonic bit his lip, considering it. "No… Except that one about you being special… It's weird, at first you were special just because you were my master… But now it's a weird way… It no longer feels forced, I WANT to feel this way…"

Shadow grinned proudly, turning Sonic around in his lap. "Good… Then you finally feel the same way that I've felt for you ever since I first saw you in the auction hall…"

Sonic looked into Shadow's eyes, a lost and confused look still present in the emeralds. "What do you mean? You feel the same way as me?"

"Exactly…" Slowly, Shadow lowered his face to meet Sonic's, their noses just centimetres apart, "You see, Sonic, there's no mystery to what you're feeling… It's really quite simple…"

"You're in love…"

"Love!" Sonic exclaimed, his eyes becoming wild and scared. "But… I can't love you! I'm a slave! You're a lord! We can't be in love!"

Shadow simply smirked at the blue hedgehog, beginning to stroke his ear again. "So what… As the saying goes…" Shadow moved his face closer, their mouths barely touching. "A rose by any other name… Would smell just as sweet…" Not wanting to wait any longer, Shadow closed the gap between the two of them, pressing his lips gently against Sonic's.

Sonic gasped in surprise, or at least would have, had his mouth not been blocked by Shadow's. This was not a completely new experience to him, truth be told. Many of his previous masters had kissed him before, but their version of kissing was a hard, rough, one-sided domination, and usually occurred only during rape. No, what made this particular kiss different, was how gentle it was. Shadow's lips pressed softly against his, sucking softly on Sonic's own mouth, as the ebony one moaned softly. He felt a wet tongue slide along his lower lip, silently asking for entrance, as Shadow pulled Sonic closer, their chests almost touching as he leant forward. Almost instinctively, Sonic opened his mouth, allowing Shadow to push his moist tongue in, exploring Sonic's oral cavity. He let his own tongue brush up against Shadow's timidly, moaning quietly as Shadow licked and poked at it. Despite the fact that he was taking a backseat in this whole affair, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience…

And was about to become far more so.

The heated kiss was prematurely broken as Sonic felt Shadow's hand gently brush up to his member, taking a gentle grasp on the shaft. Sonic pulled away, his eyes widening as he let out a lustful cry.

"Heh… You like that?" Shadow smiled, tightening his grip. Sonic simply nodded in response, too shocked by how much he had actually enjoyed it to speak.

"Mmm… Well maybe I could give you more…" Shadow offered teasingly. "That is, if you really wanted it…"

Sonic's mind was reeling now, a whole new world of possibilities having been opened up to him. He was fairly certain that he knew what Shadow meant – He was indirectly asking to have sex – But what he wasn't sure of, was whether he wanted it. From the very first day of his enslavement, sex had always been a painful experience for Sonic, many of his masters simply chose to use him as they pleased, not giving him any chance to get a feel of how big they were. The few who did give Sonic this opportunity had exploited him in other ways – One of his masters, a wolf, had been heavily into whips and chains. Needless to say, that had been one of his most painful stints as a slave…

On the other hand, there was something about Shadow that made him different from all of the others… Shadow was kind, caring, and as Sonic was beginning to find out, loving. He had extreme doubt the his master would actually hurt him if they were to have sex, and even if something did happen, it wasn't as if Shadow would just leave him in pain…

Right?

"Yes, master…" Sonic murmured lustfully, his member beginning to stiffen up from Shadow's toying. "I want more… I really do…"

"Mmm…" Shadow purred, continuing to tease Sonic's erect cock, as his other hand slyly lowered to Sonic's backside. "Tell me what you want me to do to you…"

"I want you to take me." Sonic said slowly, his breathing becoming heavier as his lust grew. "Please, master… Take me body, use me as your toy… Please…"

"Mmm… That's not really helpful…" Shadow began to smirk evilly, as the tip of his index finger began to probe around Sonic's tailhole. "Be more specific… Tell me exactly what you want…"

"Master… Please…" Sonic whined, trying hard not to lose control over his lust.

"The sooner you do this, the sooner I'll give you it…"

"Please, master!" Sonic cried out, slowly beginning to lose whatever restraint he had left. "I want, NEED you to…" Hesitation. "…FUCK ME! I need you to penetrate me with your cock, I need you to ravage and abuse my body! Oh God, master, please, give it to me!"

"That's all the motivation I need!" Shadow cried out, lifting Sonic and quickly impaling him upon his stiff, tanned cock. The blue one cried out from the suddenness of the entry, shaking a little as a sharp pain began to pulse in his backside.

"Ahh… Sorry…" Shadow smiled sheepishly at Sonic, a little peeved at himself for having entered him so quickly. He laid soft, small kisses to Sonic's cheeks and lips as he allowed his slave to adjust to the feeling, licking away the few small tears that formed in Sonic's eyes.

"OK… I'm ready…" Sonic whispered shakily, bracing himself on Shadow's shoulders. Slowly, Shadow placed both hands on Sonic's hips, and began to ride him up and down, pushing his cock in all the way to the bottom of the shaft, before pulling out nearly all the way.

"Oh! Oh God!" Sonic cried out in lust, placing his feet on the bottom of the hot spring, beginning to provide the lift himself.

"Ahh…" Shadow groaned heavily as he relinquished control, allowing Sonic to do all the work himself, resting his back against a stone wall.

"Ahh… Shadow!" Sonic bit his lip as he caught himself referring to his master by name. Normally, this would have been considered an extreme act of defiance towards the master, something that was punishable by death in a few of the provinces. Right now though, Sonic could have cared less what he did, the pure bliss overruling rational thought. Shadow didn't really seem to mind, anyway.

The black hedgehog himself continued to keep his expressions of pleasure restricted to simple groans, sighing heavily as Sonic continued to ride his rock hard member. 'It is a little unfair, though…' Shadow thought to himself, 'That I am to be the only one getting pleasure from this…' Reaching out to Sonic's restless form, he secured a grip on the pale member, keeping it in place as the rest of him continued to bounce up and down on Shadow. After getting a comfortable hold, he slowly began to pump Sonic's dick, keeping his strokes in time with the bounces. He earned the desired effect almost immediately, Sonic tilted his head back and let out a lustful cry, beginning to pant heavily. Strengthening his grip on the bottom of the pool, he began to increase the power of his pumps, quickly pulling himself off Shadow's cock before slamming down all the way, the head of Shadow's cock continually ramming his prostate gland. The feeling of his prostate being milked, his cock being roughly but carefully stroked, and the sensation of Shadow's thick shaft scraping at the insides of his body was too much for Sonic, his anus beginning to constrict and loosen wildly as he came, a thick white liquid shooting out into the water before diluting, some of the thicker stuff clinging to both their fur coats.

Like Sonic, Shadow too was close to orgasm, and with one final thrust into Sonic, Shadow came as well, shooting his seed deep into Sonic's ass. One or two shots hit the prostate dead on, eliciting a final few groans from Sonic as he collapsed on Shadow's chest, exhausted. "That… Was… Amazing…"

"I'm glad I could please you, Sonic…" Shadow whispered in his ear, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him close to his body, as he began to drift off as well.

And through the whole affair, even as the pair began to fall asleep, Shadow still buried deep within Sonic, neither of them noticed the pair of wide amber eyes that stared at them from behind a rock.


End file.
